Actually, I do like your style and I do think that the first five suggestions were great. I may even use one or two of them. But that’s not really what I was asking. Well, it was, but it wasn’t. What I’m really asking is how to go about breaking the cycle. IRL, I think I’m a lot like you come across here and not nearly as serious and straight-laced as my Z-Bube persona. The natural approach for me would be a witty and somewhat pithy comeback like the ones you suggested. But the question is, does applying humor help or hurt? If I make a joke of it, does that allow her to dismiss the genuine feelings behind the reply? Would I be better served by something like, “W, you know nothing’s going to happen. So why pretend?”
